3 Louisiana Natives Have Had Their Numbers Retired By the Yankees

When you think of Louisiana sports, most people's first thought is football. And rightfully so. Louisiana, for decades, have produced generational talent after generational talent. From Peyton Manning to Tre White and everyone in between. But, one sport that often gets overlooked when it comes to Louisiana sports is baseball. And, quite frankly, it shouldn't. Because the boot has produced a lot of big leaguers and hall of fame talent. From Vida Blue to Will Clark to Met Ott. There's just a TON of baseball talent to come out of the Bayou State.

In fact, one of the biggest brands & teams in the world - the New York Yankees - have honored several Louisiana natives with the highest honor they have which is remembrance in Monument Park and retiring their numbers.

How Many Numbers Have the Yankees Retired?

Love them or hate them, the New York Yankees are the most recognizable team in the world. From the 27 World Series wins to being home to some of the most iconic figures in sports, it's not wonder why the Yankees are the Yankees.

In fact, they have retired more numbers than any other team in sports. Which, again, isn't surprising when you consider the talent the team has amassed over their storied history. 21 numbers have been retired by the Yankees in honor of 22 players and managers.

However, what might be surprising is how many of those players are from Louisiana.

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How Many Louisiana Natives Have Been Honored By the Yankees?

Of those 21 numbers retired by the Yankees - honoring all-time greats like Babe Ruth & Mickey Mantle - 3 belong to Louisiana natives. Which is pretty darn impressive if you ask me. Even more impressive, looking at the names, you could argue that the players from Louisiana were some of the more important pieces of their various championship runs.

Here's The Louisiana Natives With Their Numbers Retired By the Yankees

#8 - Bill Dickey - Catcher from Bastrop, Louisiana

Bill Dickey is one of the greatest catchers off all time. When you talk about great catchers, he may rank behind the likes of Johnny Bench or Yogi Berra...but he's not too far down the list. He caught more than 100 games in 13 straight seasons, set an AL record from most games without a passed ball (125 games) and hit over .300 in 10 of his first 11 season. Oh, and his 202 career home runs aren't too bad for a catcher. He was a major player for the Yankees, winning 7 championships with the team.

#46 - Andy Pettitte - Pitcher from Baton Rouge, Louisiana

While not a Hall of Famer (yet), Andy was one of the best pitchers of the 90s & 00s. In 15 seasons with the Yankees, he racked up 219 wins - which is pretty darn impressive. On top of that - he trails only Whitey Ford & Red Ruffing in wins and innings pitched in a Yankees uniform. Here's also a fun bit of trivia for you - Pettitte is the only pitcher drafted by the Yankees in team history to win 200+ games in the majors. And while his overall career numbers may not be eye popping, Pettitte was a stud in the playoffs. In 40 career post season starts, he has a record of 18-10 with a 3.76 ERA, helping the Yankees win 5 World Series titles.

#49 - Ron Guidry - Pitcher from Lafayette, Louisiana

The final entry to this list is 'Louisiana Lightning' Ron Guidry. Guidry won 20 games three times in his career. But, his 1978 season, may be one of the greatest pitching performances of all-time - Guidry went 25-3 with a 1.74 ERA. That year, due to his absolutely incredible pitching, he helped erase a 14 game deficit on the Yankees way to overtaking the Red Sox in the East and ultimately win a World Series. That year, he also recorded a Yankees record 248 strikeouts on his way to winning a much deserved Cy Young.

In the history of the Yankees, dating back to their inception in 1903, there have only been 16 Captains named. It's arguably one of the biggest honors in sports. Of those 16 Captains in team history, only two of them have been pitchers. One was Clark Griffith in 1903-1905. The other was Ron Guidry from 1986-1988.